REVIEW: At the Bottom of New Lake

At the Bottom of New Lake
Author: Sonya Larson

Cape Cod. Rising waters have completely changed the area...submerging beach front mansions and creating a new body of water that teenager Chuntao calls New Lake. She dives into the lake, exploring the underwater ruins and recovering items from the long abandoned properties. Chuntao doesn't remember the decadent houses and wealthy residents, the tourists and the lifestyle that used to be a part of Cape Cod. She just knows she now has access to the beach and feels what she finds underwater belongs to her. The sea belongs to everyone now...not just a privileged few. Even with the changes that the flood brought, Chantao still has doubts about herself and her place among her peers. She doesn't feel set apart by class or her Chinese heritage...but by her awkwardness and the fact that she's a lesbian. She's unsure of herself and trying to find her place in the world....as we all do. She doesn't remember things as they used to be....but her biology teacher does. Her teacher remembers the homes and residents that are now gone and feels it's disrespectful to dive in New Lake or recover items from under the water. One sees the world and its changes as her reality....and the other sees it as a destroyed ideal.  How do you find a safe spot in a world so changed?

At the Bottom of New Lake is the sixth story in the Warmer Collection from Audible/Amazon Originals. I liked this story better than most in this collection. Each story deals with climate change....both environmental and social. I didn't like most of selections in this collection. I think in trying to combine the subjects of climate change/global disaster with changes in social/sexual roles is just too much. For me most of these stories are just trying too hard to fit that new age PC/inclusive climate in with a disaster global warming theme. I understand the attempt....the idea of mixing global warming with Global Warming is interesting. But, a bit lack luster in the actual follow through. Only one story left in this collection....and so far, it's just been a dud for me.

Middle of the road rating for this one. I enjoyed the story....but in the end it really didn't have any emotional impact for me. Mixing disaster with social change just didn't work for me. I can't feel empowered/enlightened and doomed/threatened at the same time. Strange, uncomfortable mix.